asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will arrange for the erection of a public telephone kiosk at O'Duffy Terrace, Ballybay, County Monaghan.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Telephone Service.
43.
The area in question is served by an existing kiosk in Main Street, Ballybay, which is not used sufficiently to justify provision of an additional kiosk in the general area at present.
Is the Minister aware that the kiosk in Main Street, Ballybay, is a long distance from this housing estate? A big number of the residents there have young families and for this reason the provision of a kiosk is very necessary.
I am informed that the existing kiosk in Main Street is about 800 yards from the central part of O'Duffy Terrace and about 900 yards from the furthest part. That does not seem to be an exaggerated distance.
The Minister should take it into consideration that it is over half a mile which is a fair distance to have to walk from a housing estate to a kiosk.
I accept that it is a fair distance but in many districts, as the Deputy is aware, people have to walk further.
We are taking up a good deal of the Minister's time asking questions about telephone kiosks and, invariably, the answer is no. For this reason could the Minister state if his Department is doing any work in this direction at all other than taking them out of post offices which has always been the policy?
There has been no change of policy in relation to the provision of telephone kiosks. It is continuing on exactly the same lines that it was when the Deputy was in Government.
44.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he has any proposals for the extension of automatic telephone facilities in County Clare this year.
The automatic telephone facilities in County Clare will not be extended this year. Work is continuing on acquisition of sites and erection of buildings in certain areas with a view to conversion of the larger manual exchanges to automatic working in future years.
Is the Minister aware that none of the bigger towns in West Clare has automatic telephone facilities? There are no such facilities in towns like Kilrush, Kilkee, Milltown Maybay, Lisdoonvarna and Ennistymon and would the Minister consider having them installed in these towns? Has the Minister not his priorities wrong when one considers that it is possible to dial London direct from here but it is not possible to dial direct to any part of West Clare?
I am aware of the situation the Deputy refers to. He will be interested to learn that a number of the larger manual exchanges in County Clare are scheduled for conversion under the 1973 telephone capital programme but for provision rather late in that programme. The exchanges in question are Ennistymon, Kilkee, Kilrush, Lahinch, Lisdoonvarna, Milltown Malbay and Scarriff. A building is available at Kilkee and contracts are being arranged for buildings at Lisdoonvarna and Milltown Malbay. Sites are being examined at Ennistymon and Kilrush. Acquisition of a site at Lahinch is nearing completion and a site has yet to be obtained at Scarriff.
Can the Minister give any indication of when these will be completed?
The estimate is that conversions will take place in 1977 to 1978.
45.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if, in view of the urgent necessity for a telephone kiosk at Cappa, Kilrush, County Clare, he will take immediate steps to have one erected.
The provision of a kiosk at Cappa is not considered to be warranted.
Is the Minister aware that there are more than 600 people living in Cappa, that there is a very busy port there and that there are plans to build a number of extra houses? For these reasons I should like to ask the Minister to have another look at the matter.
I am informed that an additional kiosk is warranted in Kilrush on the basis of the use made of the existing facilities and it is planned to provide that additional kiosk during the current financial year.
46.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will provide a public telephone at Townparks, Convoy, County Donegal.
The area in question is served by an existing kiosk in Main Street, Convoy, which is not used sufficiently to justify provision of an additional kiosk in the general area at present.
47.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when a telephone will be installed for a person (name supplied) in County Meath.
Within the next three weeks.
48.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when a telephone will be installed for a person (name supplied) in Allenstown, Cortown, Kells, County Meath.
In November or December next. The installation will involve the provision of nearly two miles of linework including a half-mile of new pole-route; and there is a heavy volume of engineering work on hand in the general area.
Is the Minister aware that during the past month a person of the same name was supplied with a telephone in that district? How is it that in order to provide a telephone for the person concerned these extra lines must be provided?
I do not understand the relevance of the same name. The problem involved is concerned not so much with the person's name as where he is living and the length of line which has to be provided to his house.
The people concerned live in the same townland and, in fact, their mail gets mixed up on occasions. One man was provided with a phone a month ago but the person I am concerned with now who had an application in earlier which, apparently, was lost in the Department after which he had to make a second application, has not yet been provided with a phone.
The Deputy did put down a question for answer on 2nd April, 1974. Did that concern the same person?
Yes, he got the phone since.
There was no record of an application from a person of this name but there was an application from a person with a similar name. It is all rather complicated and a little detailed and I would be happy to communicate with the Deputy on the matter.